It’s not easy to find a substitute for parabens in cosmetics. The latest, methylisothiazolinone (MIT) widely used by the cosmetics industry to replace parabens, has just been pinned by the French Society of Dermatology, which accuses it of causing an increasing number of irritations and eczema. .
Present in many cosmetic products that we use on a daily basis (baby wipes, soaps, shampoos) as well as in household products, methylisothiazolinone is a molecule that manufacturers have taken out of their test tubes but which turns out to be less harmless than they think. hoped so. “We are seeing more and more frequent reactions to this new preservative, in particular contact eczemas,” said Dr. Brigitte Roy-Geffroy, executive director of the French dermatology society, who herself was alerted by the vigilance network in dermato-allergology.
Read also: Contact allergies: wipes and bodies under surveillance
As the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (Ansm) reminds us: “There is no prior marketing authorization for cosmetic products. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their products meet legislative and regulatory requirements and are safe for health”. Of course, product tests are carried out only by a panel of voluntary people. But the latter do not necessarily develop an allergy. Also, when the product is put on the market, it is the services of Ansm cosmeto-vigilance or the French Society of Dermatology which collect reports of possible adverse effects.
In the case of methylisothiazolinone, cases of reported allergies have exploded over the past two years… that is to say since the death of parabens. These cases of allergy mainly concern eczema of the face or hands, as well as diaper eczema in children (due to the use of cleaning wipes). It is also the wipes that allergists mainly have in their sights because, unlike soaps and shampoos, users do not rinse the product after using it. It therefore remains in contact with the skin longer. Manufacturers will therefore have to get back to work and find a new and more harmless substitute. to parabens.
